How Fast Does a Weeping Yaupon Grow?

For an unusual cascading, evergreen small tree, consider weeping yaupon (Ilex vomitoria var. pendula). This form of yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), a plant native to the southeastern United States, grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 9. The parent species of weeping yaupon is fast-growing but weeping yaupon has moderate growth to 30 feet tall, although its usual garden height is 15 to 20 feet.

Youngsters Shoot Up Fast

Although the overall growth rate of weeping yaupon is moderate, young trees grow more quickly. Young weeping yaupon trees getting established can grow at a rate of 2 to 3 feet a year. A young tree planted in a Florida garden attained a 10 foot height in just two years. The young stems have a downy appearance and purplish tint. The early plant growth is positive and erect for several years before the more characteristic irregular growth of older plants comes into effect.

Middle-Aged Plants Slow Down

Once the initial growth spurt is over, older plants slow down the growth rate and begin to assume the mature picturesque appearance, with irregular branching and a more spreading form. The plant's texture is medium to fine, with medium foliage density. Weeping yaupon will tolerate partial shade but has more compact growth in sun. It takes up more landscape room as it ages than the normal form of yaupon holly. Don't attempt to restrain the vertical height of weeping yaupon by cutting the central leader, as this will impair its value as a specimen plant. Instead, give it room to attain its full growth.

Older Plants Give Landscape Value

Very old plants attain 25 or 30 feet tall with a possible spread of 25 feet. The cascading branches have a graceful, elegant appearance unique to each tree. Trees need only minimal pruning as they achieve maturity to enhance the natural form of the plant. If desired for foot traffic, trim lowermost branches from larger trees. Unlike regular yaupon holly, weeping yaupon doesn't sucker from the base, making maintenance easier. It does, however, produce upright growth from the weeping branches, eventually leading to contorted, twisted trunks on older trees.

What It Needs to Grow Well

Weeping yaupon is tolerant of a wide variety of soils and moisture conditions. Give the young plant supplemental water for the first year, as often as two to three times each week, depending on rainfall, to establish a deep, extensive root system. Once established, weeping yaupon is drought-tolerant. For optimum growth rates, give weeping yaupon a balanced fertilizer of 13-13-13 at the rate of 3/4 pound per average-sized specimen in late winter or early spring. Female trees produce bright red, translucent, 1/8-inch-wide berries in fall and winter if fertilized by a male tree. Berries are produced on two-year-old wood and are attractive to birds.

About the Author

Carolyn Csanyi began writing in 1973, specializing in topics related to plants, insects and southwestern ecology. Her work has appeared in the "American Midland Naturalist" and Greenwood Press. Csanyi holds a Doctor of Philosophy in biology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.